DownEast Soaring Club is an active New England Radio Control Soaring Club with
interests in flying Thermal Duration, Slope Soaring, Handlaunch Thermal,
F3J,F3B, F3A, and Electric Glider Soaring

The DownEast Soaring Club was established in 1991, as an off shoot of
theBrunswick Area Modelers. We received our charter from AMA with 7
initialmembers.We typically have members from all of the New England States
(Maine, NH, VT, CT, RI, MA) and exchange newsletters with many soaring clubs
throughout the country.The core of the Club Officers are from the Topsham Maine
area.

Our first few years focused on sanctioning up to six thermal duration contests
per summer season at a sod farm in Biddeford, Maine. This event schedule helped
to quickly establish the Club throughout the greater New England area. We then
cut back our contest schedules after several years and began focusing our
energy to produce a more relaxing flying schedule that focused on fun and
camaraderie. This approach was more conducive to providing an avenue for our
members to exchange ideas, and to assist in the development of others. In past
years, we've offered annual workshops during the winter months to expose
members to some of the newer construction techniques and materials.

The Club has two winches and two retrievers and a club trailer to support
thermal flying at our two thermal fields. A lot of informal slope flying takes
place through the year and especially during the winter months.

Club fees are $12 per year and AMA membership is mandatory. Several Club outings
are organized each year,including several “No Host Soaring Lobster Festivals”
which include soaring combat, annual fun fly contest, slope getaway weekend and
others.

We established the first New England R/C Soaring Convention in 1993 after two
members attended the M.A.R.C.S. Sailplane Symposium Proceedings in the fall of
1992. Since then we have held two other “New England R/C Soaring Conventions”
in Portland Maine. We wanted to bring a similar format to the folks of greater
New England.In addition to "Soaring To Greater Heights Through
Knowledge" with our convention speakers, the week-end offered the
opportunity to fly at our favorite sites, sample some of the fabulous cuisine
offered at our well known New England restaurants, or see the sights of our
beautiful state.

Learn to fly radio controlled aircraft “Join DSC”. Dues are only $12 a year and
includes a great newsletter. The DownEast Soaring Club (DSC) is a glider only
radio control club serving the New England Area. DSC is a charter member of the
Academy of Aeronautics (AMA). Benefits include:

Flying instruction

Complete Club trainer plane

Club video/book library

Club Winches and Retrievers

Monthly Club meetings

Club building projects

Club badges

Club flying sites (slope and thermal)

Building Instruction and tips

Picnics, conventions and festivals

Fun Fly’s, sanctioned contests, and year round flying

Presentations (vacuum bagging , foam cutting, composites, etc.)

Shared experiences: Gliders are easier to fly and experienced glider pilots
have an easier transition to flying powered aircraft.